While we do the best we can to preserve your natural teeth, sometimes there is no choice but to extract them. At that point, preventing bone decay and the integrity of your jaw becomes our most important goal. We know that our patients have questions about replacing teeth and what we recommend to maintain their oral health, so the team at Crossroads Family Dentistry will offer some more information in this post.
Keep Remaining Teeth in Place
One of the most important reasons to replace missing teeth is to keep your remaining teeth in place. Everything is kept in alignment when you have all of your teeth because there is no excess room to shift. However, when there is suddenly plenty of space to move, your teeth might begin to relocate. And as they move, they can even change the way you look.
Avoid Mental Health Struggles
Do you remember what it was like when you lost a tooth as a child? Many of us struggled to eat with a gaping hole in our mouths, and the lack of a bone added additional pressure to the rest of our mouths and jaws. This inconvenience might not seem like a big deal at first, but it begins to grate on the nerves when it is a constant problem. Some people even find that their self-esteem takes a hit when they are missing teeth, especially if the loss impacts their speech.
Prevent TMJ Disorder from Developing
Losing a tooth and failing to replace it can put undue pressure on your jaw as you change the way you chew to compensate for the loss. This can lead to the development of TMJ disorder, a disorder that impacts your temporomandibular joints, the parts of your jaw that control rotation when speaking or eating. This is often a painful experience that can impact the way you live your life.
For more information about tooth replacement and how we can help, reach out to our experienced dental team today!